Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to propose an amendment to the State Constitution to give the student member of the Board of Education (BOE) voting rights on all matters except decisions relating to personnel.

The BOE, the Hawaii State Student Council, the State Student Conference, and several individuals submitted testimony in support of this bill.

Your Committee finds that efforts have been made for years to give the student member of the BOE voting status. A myriad of concerns have been raised over the years regarding the legality of this provision, and whether the student member is mature enough to handle voting responsibilities. These concerns have all been addressed and asserted by the Attorney General to be without merit. Additionally, for the first time ever, the BOE itself has supported this bill.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by adding legislative findings justifying the purpose of this bill and making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.